As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 17, 2003
                                                 Registration No. 333-_________
_______________________________________________________________________________

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                            ________________________

                                    FORM S-8
                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                            ________________________

                          SGL CARBON AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

  FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY                              NOT APPLICABLE
(State or other jurisdiction of                            (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)                            Identification No.)

                               Rheingaustrasse 182
                                D-65203 Wiesbaden
                                     Germany
              (Address of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)

                 SGL CARBON AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT STOCK OPTION PLAN
       SGL CARBON AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT SHARE PLAN REGARDING MATCHING SHARES
                            (Full title of the plans)
                            ________________________

                                Anna Blackwelder
                                 SGL Carbon LLC
                                 P.O. Box 563960
                      Charlotte, North Carolina 28256-3960
                              Tel.: (704) 593-5282

            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

                                 With a copy to:



                                                   
            Stephan Hutter, Esq.            Doreen E. Lilienfeld, Esq.
            Shearman & Sterling                Shearman & Sterling
            Gervinusstrasse 17                 599 Lexington Avenue
                  D-60322                    New York, New York  10022
             Frankfurt am Main,                Tel.: (212) 848-4000
        Federal Republic of Germany
         Tel.: 011-49-69-9711-1000














                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE



===================================================================================================================
               TITLE OF SECURITIES TO BE         AMOUNT TO       PROPOSED           PROPOSED         AMOUNT OF
                       REGISTERED                    BE           MAXIMUM            MAXIMUM        REGISTRATION
                                                REGISTERED     OFFERING PRICE       AGGREGATE            FEE
                                                                PER SHARE (2)     OFFERING PRICE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                             
Ordinary Bearer Shares of Registrant (1)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SGL CARBON Aktiengesellschaft Stock               151,500          $13.74            $2,081,610        $168.40
                                             ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Option Plan                                       198,500          $36.54            $7,253,190        $586.78
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SGL CARBON Aktiengesellschaft Share                50,000          $13.74              $687,000         $55.58
Plan Regarding Matching Shares
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         TOTAL                    400,000                           $10,021,800        $810.76
===================================================================================================================



   (1)   This registration statement on Form S-8 (this "REGISTRATION
         STATEMENT") shall also cover any additional shares of SGL
         Corporation's (the "REGISTRANT") Ordinary Bearer Shares, no par value
         (the "ORDINARY SHARES"), which become issuable under either the SGL
         CARBON Aktiengesellschaft Stock Option Plan (the "OPTION PLAN") or SGL
         CARBON Aktiengesellschaft Share Plan Regarding Matching Shares (the
         "MATCHING SHARES PLAN", together with the Option Plan, the "PLANS") by
         reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or any
         other similar transaction effected without the receipt of
         consideration which results in an increase in the number of the
         Registrant's outstanding Ordinary Shares.


   (2)   Estimated in accordance with Rules 457(c) and 457(h) under the
         Securities Act solely for the purpose of determining the registration
         fee.  Estimate based on the average of the high and low prices of the
         Ordinary Shares reported on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on April 11,
         2003, except that stock options to purchase 198,500 Ordinary Shares at
         an average fixed price of US$36.54 have been granted under the Option
         Plan as of this date of this Registration Statement.  For purposes of
         calculating the filing fee, the offering price per share and closing
         price of the Ordinary Shares has been converted from euro to U.S.
         Dollars using the noon buying rate in New York, New York for cable
         transfers in euro as certified for customs purposes by the Federal
         Reserve Bank on April 11, 2003.












                                       2



                                    PART I

             INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS

            The documents containing the information specified in Part I, Items
1 and 2, will be delivered to employees in accordance with the "Note" to Part I
of Form S-8 and Rule 428 of the Securities Act.





































                                       3



                                    PART II

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.
         ----------------------------------------
            The  following documents filed with the Commission are incorporated
by reference as of  their respective dates into this Registration Statement and
shall be deemed a part hereof:

            (i)   the  Registrant's  Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the
                  Commission on April 14, 2003 (No. 001-14398); and

            (ii)  the Registrant's Registration  Statement  on  Form 8-A, filed
                  with  the  Commission on May 17, 1996 (No. 001-14398),  which
                  incorporates   by  reference  the  Registrant's  Registration
                  Statement on Form  F-1,  filed with the Commission on May 17,
                  1996 (No. 333-04824), which  includes  a  description  of the
                  Ordinary Shares of the Registrant.

            All  documents  filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934, as amended (the
"EXCHANGE ACT"), subsequent to the date of the filing hereof  and  prior to the
filing  of  a  post-effective  amendment  to this Registration Statement  which
indicates that all securities offered have  been  sold or which deregisters all
securities  then  remaining  unsold  shall  be  deemed to  be  incorporated  by
reference in this Registration Statement and to be  a part hereof from the date
of filing of such documents.

            Any  statement  contained  in  a  document incorporated  or  deemed
incorporated by reference in this Registration  Statement shall be deemed to be
modified  or  superseded  for purposes of this Registration  Statement  to  the
extent that a statement contained  herein  or  in  any other subsequently filed
document  which  also is or is deemed to be incorporated  by  reference  herein
modifies or supersedes  such  statement.   Any  such  statement  so modified or
superseded  shall  not  be  deemed,  except  as  so modified or superseded,  to
constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

Item 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.
         --------------------------
         Not applicable.


Item 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.
         ---------------------------------------
         The legal opinion attached to this Registration Statement as Exhibit 5
was issued by Helmut Muehlbradt.  Mr. Muehlbradt is General Counsel of the
Registrant.  Mr. Muehlbradt beneficially owns, or has the right to acquire
under the Plans, an aggregate of less than 1% of the Registrant's Ordinary
Shares.


Item 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
         ------------------------------------------
         The laws of Germany make no provision for indemnification of directors
and officers.  The Registrant has liability insurance for all present, future
or retired general managers, members of the Board of Management, members of the
Supervisory Board and members of the Advisory Boards of the Registrant or any
of its subsidiaries, including insurance against liabilities arising under the
Securities Act.


Item 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.
         ------------------------------------
         Not applicable.


Item 8.  EXHIBITS.
         ---------
         See Exhibit list on page 9 of this Registration Statement.

                                       4



Item 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.
         -------------
            (a)   The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

                  (1)   To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
                        being made, a post-effective amendment to this
                        Registration Statement to include any material
                        information with respect to the plan of distribution
                        not previously disclosed in this Registration Statement
                        or any material change to such information in the
                        Registration Statement;

                  (2)   That, for the purpose of determining any liabilities
                        under the Securities Act, each such post-effective
                        amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration
                        statement relating to the securities offered therein,
                        and the offering of such securities at that time shall
                        be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof;
                        and

                  (3)   To remove from registration by means of a post-
                        effective amendment any of the securities being
                        registered which remain unsold at the termination of
                        the offering.

            (b)   The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for
purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of
the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of
the Exchange Act (and where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit
plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

            (c)   Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by
such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed
by the final adjudication of such issue.









                                       5


                                  SIGNATURES

            Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities  Act, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets  all  of  the
requirements  for  filing  on  Form  S-8  and has duly caused this Registration
Statement  to  be  signed  on  its behalf by the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized, in Wiesbaden, Germany on this 17 day of April, 2003.

                                    SGL CARBON AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT


                                    By:    /s/ Dr. Bruno Toniolo
                                       -------------------------------------
                                    Name:  Dr. Bruno Toniolo
                                    Title: Chief Financial Officer, Member of
                                           the Board of Management


                                    By:    /s/ Helmut Muehlbradt
                                       --------------------------------------
                                    Name:  Helmut Muehlbradt
                                    Title: General Counsel

























                                        6



            KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENT,  that each person whose  signature to
this Registration  Statement appears below hereby  constitutes and appoints each
of  Helmut  Muehlbradt  and  Branka  Koren  as  such  person's  true  and lawful
attorney-in-fact  and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution,
for such  person and in such  person's  name,  place and  stead,  in any and all
capacities,  to sign  any  and all  amendments  to the  Registration  Statement,
including post-effective  amendments, and registration statements filed pursuant
to Rule 462 under the  Securities  Act, and to file the same,  with all exhibits
thereto, and other documents in connection therewith,  with the Commission,  and
does  hereby  grant  unto each said  attorney-in-fact  and agent  full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the  premises,  as fully to all intents and  purposes as
such person might or could do in person,  hereby  ratifying and  confirming  all
that each said  attorney-in-fact  and agent,  or any  substitute  therefor,  may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

            Pursuant  to  the   requirements   of  the   Securities   Act,  this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities indicated as of the 17 day of April, 2003.





Signature                                          Capacity
---------                                          --------
                           

/s/  Robert J. Koehler
---------------------------
Robert J. Koehler             Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board of Management



/s/  Dr. Bruno Toniolo
---------------------------
Dr. Bruno Toniolo             Chief Financial Officer, Member of the Board of Management



/s/  Theodore H. Breyer
---------------------------
Theodore H. Breyer            Member of the Board of Management



/s/  Dr. Hariolf Kottmann
----------------------------
Dr. Hariolf Kottmann          Member of the Board of Management



/s/  Dr. Klaus Warning
----------------------------
Dr. Klaus Warning             Member of the Board of Management










                                       7



            SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REGISTRANT

            Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as
amended, the undersigned,  the duly authorized  representative of the Registrant
in the United  States,  has signed  this  Registration  Statement  or  amendment
thereto in Charlotte, North Carolina, on April 17, 2003.



                                            SGL CARBON LLC
                                         

                                            By:    /s/  Peter Hoffman
                                                   ----------------------------
                                                   Name:  Peter Hoffman
                                                   Title: President































                                      8




                                 EXHIBIT INDEX




EXHIBIT
NUMBER    DESCRIPTION
-------   -----------
       
 4.1      The Registrant's Articles of Incorporation (Satzung), as amended (incorporated herein by reference to the Registrant's
          Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the Commission on July 1, 2002 (No. 001-14398)).
4.2*      SGL CARBON Aktiengesellschaft Stock Option Plan (English Translation).
4.3*      SGL CARBON Aktiengesellschaft Share Plan Regarding Matching Shares.
 5*       Opinion of Helmut Muhlbradt, General Counsel of the Registrant, regarding the legality of securities being offered
          hereby.
23.1*     Consent of KPMG Deutsche Treuhand-Gesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft, Wirtschaftspruefungsgesellschaft, independent
          accountants.
23.2*     Consent of BDO Deutsche Warentreuhand Aktiengesellschaft Wirtschaftspruefungsgesellschaft, Munich, independent
          accountants.
23.3*     Consent of Helmut Muhlbradt, General Counsel of the Registrant (contained in Exhibit 5).
24.1*     Powers of Attorney (included on signature page to this Registration Statement).


________________________

* Filed herewith.




















                                        9